Faith
by Snwy.Leopard
Summary: “YOU KILLED HER! AFTER ALL THAT SHE DID!” he yelled but her mind argued back. All she wanted was to know who her real parents are. It wasn't supposed to happen like this! None of it was supposed to happen like this. She couldn't be his twin- couldn't! DHr
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This chapter is going to be very gruesome and violent, but everything will get better in the next chapters, don't worry. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot.

**The whole summary**: "YOU KILLED HER! AFTER ALL THAT SHE DID!" he yelled. Her mind argued. _I didn't kill her! It wasn't my fault!_ A misheard conversation can lead to deadly and ironically good outcomes. DHr

_**Title: Faith**_

Chapter 1

Hermione woke up to the sound of loud thumping on the staircase. _Thump. Thump._ She looked outside. The wind was howling as if in anger, heavy rain droplets crashed into her window, lightning and thunder boomed like they were in a war. It was the middle of the night as she listened to the things happening outside of her room.

She lay shivering in her new pajamas consisting of a tee shirt and shorts. It had been three months since she found out and every night since she had been home for the summer was the same. She quickly got up from her bed and hid in her closet, hoping the man she was so used to call father wouldn't find her.

The past year, she had found out about her real heritage from a conversation she "accidentally" heard between Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. When she was two, her real parents gave her to the Grangers in an effort to save Hermione from Voldemort's wrath. Now at age seventeen, the man who she had known most of her life ripped away everything remotely happy from her life.

She could hear his steps coming closer and closer to her room. Holding her breath, she remembered the night before and every other night in the past since she had been home. Finally, the steps stopped at the front of her door, and she heard the creaking noise of it opening. _No_, she thought, wringing her shirt tightly. _God have mercy._

In between the cracks, she watched her drunken adoptive father frantically looking for her. He threw her things around her room leaving her trunk alone.

"Ready or not! Here I come!" he said in a deadly tone. Fear and pain etched its way into her heart.

"Please... Go away! Please go away!" she whispered over and over again rocking back and forth. He ceased throwing things around, looking towards her closet where she lay. _Oh no. Help me please. Look away! Turn around! Go away!_ Her mind screamed in horror.

Her father stomped over to the closet door. She backed away from it trying to cover herself with her clothes, knowing in the back of her mind that she could still be easily seen. Her father opened the door and grabbed her by the neck.

"Peek-a-boo!" he whispered before he threw her against the wall. She collapsed onto the floor, crumpled into a ball as pain shot up her spine.

"What do you want with me?" she whispered, her eyes taking the look of a scared child.

"I don't want anything to do with you anymore! It's your entire fault she died! You and your stupid magic," he angrily responded before he began to choke her.

"LET ME GO!" she tried to plead, clawing at his hands as they squeezed her neck.

"Now tell me. Why would I do that?" he asked dangerously before gripping her neck harder. She began to make choking noises and as if a wandering god passed by, he let her go. She grasped her neck and breathed in deeply at she sat on the floor looking up at his horrible angered face.

"I didn't do anything. Stop it! Leave me alone!" she cried out. Tears beginning to flow freely down her cheeks.

"Oh, is the little whiney girl going to CRY? Let good 'ol DADDY help you there!"

"YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER! MY FATHER IS DEAD!" she screamed at the top of her lungs which she instantly regretted. Mr. Granger reached behind his back and pulled out what looked like a small black whip. _Someone please help me! Someone! No!_ Her eyes widened in fear.

"Oh, I'm not your father, eh? Tell me! Who had gladly taken you into this home? Who paid the bills and bought you the food you eat?" he yelled at her. She cowered into the corner and did not answer him. "ANSWER ME DAMNIT!" He lashed out the whip and began to beat her with it, the lightning illuminating his evil, domineering face. She cried out in pain. _It wasn't my fault! _Bloody gashes formed on her body, crying rivers of red.

After he whipped her he began to punch her. Bruises and cuts formed one after another. She lay sprawled on the floor shivering. "I GET NO RESPECT FROM YOU DAMN PEOPLE!" he began to kick her. "WE TOOK YOU IN EVEN WHEN THEY DIDN'T WANT YOU!" he yelled, kicking harder each time. _Lies! All lies! They wanted me! _Her mind persuaded her. "AND WHAT DID WE GET IN RETURN!" She howled in pain as he brutally kicked her stomach. "YOU KILLED HER! AFTER ALL THAT SHE DID!" Her mind argued. _I didn't kill her! It wasn't my fault! _

Next, he brought out what looked like an extremely sharp kitchen knife. She got up and backed up into the wall trying to escape but to no avail. Her father was blocking the door.

"Stop it, please," she whispered in a small voice.

"Huh? What did you say? I'm sorry I didn't hear you! Speak louder!" he yelled again. He kicked her once again in the stomach and she doubled over in pain, as a fresh set of tear poured from her eyes. She kept her eyes closed as if she could erase everything happening. He bent down and held the knife at her neck. "OBEY YOUR FATHER!" he yelled viciously as he cut her shirt.

"I told you that you're not my father," she managed to squeak out.

"I SAID SPEAK LOUDER!" he yelled out in rage and he threw her against the opposite wall. Unfortunately, there was a wooden table and she hit the corner of it. She yelled out in pain and collapsed as a deep hole appeared and bled.

"I SAID YOU ARE NO FATHER OF MINE! YOU FILTHY ARSEHOLE!" she yelled in between cries.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?" he yelled. She winced.

"I SAID THAT YOU ARE NO FATHER OF MINE!" She yelled back at him. Her eyes widened even more as her father walked closer to her. She backed up but winced in more pain from her back.

_10 minutes later_

With a resounding thump, Hermione was once again thrown against the wall.

"That'll teach you a lesson you worthless piece of trash!" He spat at her and slammed the door behind him.

Hermione lay on the floor curled into a tight ball and shivered in pain. Her clothes were now cut into shreds, but she didn't care. All she knew was that she had to leave now before he came back again even angrier. She knew she looked like shit right now, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was getting out of there. She shakily got up, hastily changing clothes and putting her clothes into a duffel bag.

She decided to hide out; it didn't matter where as long as she was far away from that beast. She slung the bag on her bruised shoulder, wincing and falling at the sudden weight and pressure on the bruises. Using her bed to help stabilize herself, she walked over to her window, fully aware of the profusely bleeding hole in her back. She sat hunched over on her windowsill and looked at her room with saddened eyes before looking out at the sky, which grumbled and flashed with thunder and lightning.

She sighed and she slowly lowered herself onto the ground from her windowsill since it was quite high off the ground. She didn't see that a piece of sharp wood was pointing upwards, and cut her arm with it. She winced in more pain and dropped on the ground, falling from the drop. She clutched her arm to her chest and began walking towards who knows where; her duffel bag lagging her a bit.

Harry and Ron were in Romania visiting Charlie with the Weasley's so there was no chance in going over to the Burrow. The raindrops stung at her cuts as they hit her bare skin. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep at least some body heat to herself, stumbling from dizziness unaware of the fact that her shoes left muddy footprints with a line of blood following next to it. Another bolt of lightning appeared before her eyes, and struck a big tree. A very thick and large branch fell from the tree and nearly crushed Hermione. _So much pain_. She wished she died and be gone with it never having to worry about all the pain at this very moment.

Luckily the heaviest part of the tree did not fall on her, so she heaved the branch off her with much effort. As she tried to stand back up, she found she was too weak to do such a simple task. After a few attempts, she crawled over to the sidewalk and lay down, not caring if she would be found by a stranger in the morning. She sat, huddled in a fetal position, as she shivered against the constant beating of water hit her. _Why aren't my real parents coming for me?_

_Flashback in form of a dream_

"Hermione! How was school, dear?" Mrs. Granger asked as she drove her daughter home from King's Cross Station. She glanced at her daughter, who stared ahead with a blank look on her face. "Hermione?" she asked, worried at the lack of answer.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the brunette asked in a soft tone, pain evident in her voice.

"Tell you what, honey?" Mrs. Granger's heart dropped, knowing exactly what Hermione was asking her.

"Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?" she turned her eyes toward her adoptive mother, who glanced back at her shocked too see such dull eyes that had once been so happy.

"Hon-Hermione, your father- we, we didn't think it was best to tell you yet. We were going to tell you before, but-"

"But what? But I was too stupid to understand? But you didn't want to save me from all the harassment I received at school no matter how many times I've told you about the _hell _I've been going through because I was a 'mudblood'?" All the emotions she had been holding in, Hermione finally let loose.

"That's not it, Hermione! We- I didn't want to lose you! Not yet!" Mrs. Granger replied in a strained voice as tears began to fill in her eyes. "You don't understand!"

"No, I fully understand!" Hermione yelled. "You purposely wanted me to suffer being downgraded by my peers! You wanted me to live under the torment of others!"

"Hermione! Listen to me! That's not it!"

"If you didn't want to lose me, then why the bloody hell did you not tell me sooner!"

"Don't use that tone on me, young-"

"MUM! WATCH OUT!" Hermione interrupted as the last thing she heard was a loud screeching sound and a big crash.

A few days later, Hermione woke up in a hospital bed. _What am I doing here? _She sat up, immediately groaning at the sudden pain. She watched a nurse come in to the room.

"Oh! You're awake! Let me go tell the doctor!" Hermione winced as she touched her head. She couldn't think, it hurt too much and she was too tired. After waiting for a few moments, she saw the doctor come in and ask her questions.

"Doctor, what am I doing here? My head hurts too much to remember anything."

"Miss Granger, you and your mother were in a terrifying car accident a few days ago. The other driver is apparently being accused of a DUI and possible manslaughter."

"Manslaughter? What do you mean? I'm not dead-" Hermione stopped in mid sentence. "Where's my mum? Where is she! Is she okay?" She began to fling the sheets off her and ignoring the protests of the doctor, she stood up, only to find herself getting dizzy and holding onto a nearby table.

"You really need your rest. Your mother, unfortunately, is in severe condition. You were too, but for some reason, you seem to have recuperated from such a severe injury. I am sorry to say, however, that your mother will not be able to make it. Her body has not been able to recover itself. It's almost as if she's given up hope to live." The doctor ran a hand through his graying hair, suddenly looking too old and worn for his age.

"You're lying! She's okay! She'll be okay!" Hermione screamed.

"Please, Miss Granger! Calm down!"

"No! Please, take me to her! I need to see her!" The doctor sighed and nodded, as he guided her to another room, holding onto her arm just in case she got another dizzy spell. Hermione's eyes widened as she caught sight of all the wires and tubes around her adoptive mother.

"Mum!" she yelled, running to the deathly pale woman's side. Her eyes began to quench as she felt the onslaught of tears come. "Mum!" she yelled, crying into the woman's arm. As if it were a miracle, she felt movement from her mother. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw her slowly open her eyes.

"Hermione," she wheezed out softly, caressing the younger woman's hand. Outside, Mr. Granger walked up to his wife's hospital door with a bouquet of red roses, Mrs. Granger's favorite, in his hands. He was thoroughly crushed and upset with what happened, crying himself to sleep at night as his heart broke. Hearing his wife's soft voice and wondering who she was talking to, he stopped outside, listening to the conversation.

"Mum, I'm so sorry! It's my fault! It's entirely my fault!" Hermione screamed as tears flowed even faster down her cheeks. Mrs. Granger slightly moved her head side to side.

"No, honey, it wasn't your fault. It was never your fault. You just wanted to know the truth." Her eyes flicked to the door where the outline of her husband stood, listening to the conversation.

"But mum! If I hadn't been yelling at you- if I had just waited until we got home-" His hands immediately dropped the bouquet of flowers, anger coursing through his veins as he stomped out the doors of the hospital, one thought racing through his mind. _That worthless bitch_.

"Honey, it was meant to happen. It is God's will for me to pass on." Using all the strength she had, her mother caressed Hermione's face. "Honey, I love you, even if you aren't my biological child. I will always love and protect you. Please understand that."

"I understand! I understand! Please don't go!" Hermione desperately cried out.

"Hermione, please, when I go-"

"Mum! Please! I need you!"

"Honey, listen to me." Hearing the urgency in her voice, Hermione's pleas reduced to sniffles. "Whatever happens, always remember that it was never your fault. No matter what happens, I will always be watching over you. Always have hope even if you can't see me. Have faith."

"But I will see you! You'll survive! I know it! Please believe that you will!"

"Honey, I'm s-" her mother's head tilted to the side as the beeping of the monitor turned to a single, continuous tune.

"NO!" Hermione screamed clutching her heart as she fell into a clump on the floor as doctors rushed in. Her heart felt like it broke into a million pieces.

A nurse brought her back to her hospital bed. She never knew her adoptive father listened to their conversation, but when she returned from the hospital a few days later, she finally realized that her perfect life was no longer perfect.

_End of dream flashback and Chapter 1_

IMPORTANT A/N: So, I hope you guys thoroughly enjoyed this version better, seeing as how a certain "constructive criticizer" had pointed out many of my story's flaws. After rethinking a lot of things, I like this version better than the last, but if you still wish to have the other version, please say so in the review and I would be more than happy to put that as another story. **I'm in need of proofreaders as well since I don't know if my old ones are willing to do the job for me again.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot.

Previously on Faith:

"But I will see you! You'll survive! I know it! Please believe that you will!"

"Honey, I'm s-" her mother's head tilted to the side as the beeping of the monitor turned to a single, continuous tune.

"NO!" Hermione screamed falling into a clump on the floor as doctors rushed in. A nurse brought her back to her hospital bed. She never knew her adoptive father listened to their conversation, but when she returned from the hospital a few days later, she finally realized that her perfect life was no longer perfect.

_End of dream flashback and Chapter 1_

**Chapter 2**

Hermione opened her eyes but immediately closed them from the sudden brightness of the light. _Am I dead? _She slowly opened her eyes again, still feeling the dizzy spell that encased her senses. She recognized the room as hers. Fear coursed through her body as she quickly sat up, groaning a moment later from the pain that shot through her body. Surely all the blood that was lost would have killed her by now.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps, her eyes widened as she shot back down, while wincing from the onslaught of pain, pretending to still be asleep. She felt a hand touch her severely hot forehead and then a moistened cloth was replaced after all the cold sweat was wiped away.

_Why is he taking care of me?_ She wondered. _So he could keep using me as a beating post most likely. _Her mind answered. Hearing shuffling and then the closing of her door, she opened her eyes.

Wrong move.

"I knew you were awake, you bloody whore." The sight of her father's unkept stature made her wince as she remembered the events of the night before. "Nothing to say? Finally agree that you killed her?" Hermione shook her head. "Really? Well, how about I help you agree?" he spat as he loomed over her.

Gone was the loving man she had known her whole life. In its place a dangerous man, his face sunken in and contorted into a mask of rage and hate. His eyes were bloodshot which darkened bags under his eyes.

"No," she whispered through her dry throat. "Please, it wasn't my fault!" she managed to gasp out before her neck was seized once again by the strong hand belonging to her adoptive father. "Please!" she managed to choke out. As he leaned toward her face, the sharp smell of alcohol invaded her senses.

Her father glared before flinging her to the ground as if she were nothing. The pain automatically increased as she tried to crawl away only to have her leg restrained with a death grip.

Frantically, she tried to claw into the ground to grip onto something, but to no avail could she stop the harsh grip pulling her back to him. He grabbed her leg with both hands and swung her into the wall, hearing a cracking sound, from what Hermione did not want to know. Slowly, painfully bringing her hand to the back of her head, she wasn't surprised to see blood as she had hit a thumb tack that held up one of her posters. He walked up to her, and heard the distant sound of a _crack. _

_Please not that, anything but that!_

"It's funny," her adoptive father's gruff voice came out deep. He straightened the whip in his hand and flicked it into the air, barely missing her. "The people at the store I bought it from thought I was going to use it for _sexual _pleasure." He sneered while he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head forcefully backwards. Hermione hissed in pain. "You want to know something, you bleedin' slut?" He whispered in her ear, "_This _brings me pleasure."

"You shitfaced MONSTER!" she whispered, her eyes widening as she saw his eyes flash in anger. She cowered and turned her back to him in vain as he elongated the whip, put it behind his shoulder and lashed her with a resounding _CRACK_. She cried out in pain arching her body forward as a long gash of blood appeared across her shoulder blade.

"You filthy wench! You didn't deserve her love!"

_But it wasn't my fault! She said she loved me! _Hermione's mind yelled out through the pain.

"You were just a nuisance and after all we've done for you!"

_I didn't mean it! It wasn't my fault he crashed into us! Please!_

"Breaking our backs so you could have a good life!"

_And I'm thankful for that! Really, I am! _

He whipped her repeatedly, her cries louder as new pieces of flesh opened.

"It-it wasn't my fault!" she finally whimpered out, her face covered in sweat and tears. "IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" She sobbed as her body flung forward from the force of it.

Mr. Granger sneered before drawing back the whip and with all his might, swung it forward onto the crouched figure of the girl. Hermione's body painfully arched forward as she let out a strangled cry, the worst one of all. She lay sprawled on the floor, hearing the sound of her labored breathing and the sound of Mr. Granger's haunting laughter fading away with his heavy footsteps.

_Later that day…_

_Tap. Tap._ Hermione came back to consciousness as the sound of fluttering wings and constant tapping on the window woke her. _What the-?_ She grabbed her head as she felt a stinging pain fill her senses. Tears began to cry as she tried to lift her head up, only having to let it fall back onto the soft pillow. Pillow? How did she get onto the bed? Realization hit her as she came up with the one person to have moved her.

_Bastard_.

With much effort, and for what seemed to be a long period of time, she was finally able to get up and somewhat bear the harsh pain from her head and back. The Hogwarts owl moved away from the window as she slowly opened it, while thanking the gods for it being easy to slide.

Collapsing from pain and exhaustion, she sat onto the floor, leaning her body forward so as not to aggravate the burning gashes on her back. She watched as the owl dropped the letter next to her before flying away.

Scanning over the contents and feeling the dizziness coming back, Hermione dropped the letter, mentally grinning at the fact that she made Head Girl. That is, if she made it to the first day, which happened to be in a few more days. Her eyes looked troubled as she thought of how she had received only one owl from Ron and Harry, telling her that they were off to Romania for two weeks. Once she thought of this, Hedwig flew into her room, perching onto the bed by her head.

"Hedwig," she acknowledged the familiar snowy owl. She opened her hand signaling the owl to come down so that she could untie the letter. She hadn't the slightest energy to reach up and untie the letter. Hermione softly rubbed the owl from where her hand could reach as it softly hooted in reply.

"Carrying a letter for me from Harry, then?" the owl, as if understanding her, nodded its head before sticking its leg out. Then as if somehow knowing the pain she was in, hopped onto the desk and retrieved a quill to respond with.

"Thank you," her voice came out raspy as she started to cough, her ribs on fire. She glanced at the hand and noticed the blood spots. Panic encased her body as she wiped it away before reading the letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Where have you been? Romania was so much fun, we cannot believe you missed it! Anyway, I hope you're doing well. _

At this Hermione was tempted to snort, but did not chance the pain.

_Also, we're going to Diagon Alley to get our school supplies tomorrow, and we were wondering if you would like to join us? Anyway, we hope to see you soon! Everyone sends their love._

_Xoxo,_

_Harry and Ron._

Hermione retrieved the quill from Hedwig's beak and began to write, wincing slightly as the muscles in her arm protested against her actions.

_Harry/ Ron,_

_I'm fine. Can't make it to Diagon Alley. Can you get my supplies and books for me? I need extra money for the year as well. I trust that you will keep my key safe until I see you._

_Hermione_

She hoped with all her might that they would be able to tell that everything really wasn't fine. That they would realize something was really wrong and they should swoop in to save her like the knights in shining armor everyone imagined them to be. She could practically imagine them bursting open the window ready to take her away from her father.

She usually wrote longer letters, sometimes too long. Ron complained she wrote him a novel one time. She grimaced a smile at the memory.

After she produced a key from under her mattress, she rolled the key up securely inside the letter and tied it onto the owl's leg before it took off.

_OOOOOOOOOO_

Two days passed and no help came to her rescue. No red or jet black haired boys came to save her as she suffered under her adoptive father's abuse.

As fortune had it, her father had reduced his beatings for the last two days, for what reasons, she did not know, but still the pain was completely unbearable.

_Why haven't they replied?_ She thought as she blanked out the night before the day of school, lying in a bloody pile on the floor.

_RING!_ The sound of Hermione's alarm clock, which she had thankfully set the afternoon before, woke her up. Opening her eyes, she slowly covered them as the sun's bright rays hit.

_It's so loud_. The ringing, though it was not any higher than any other alarm, was ten times louder in her ears, making her head pound. When it finally ceased its loud chiming, Hermione grimaced as she tried to get up, and then reduced herself to crawling on her hands and knees.

Slowly, but surely, she reached the bathroom without much confrontation with her father. She slowly peeled off the clothes that stuck to her skin with blood, wincing as some parts had dried along with the red substance.

She sat next to the bath, watching as it filled with warm water, and then climbing in, hissing at the stinging of the opened cuts. Slowly she rubbed herself with soap and water cleaning all the blood, while somewhat relaxing her aching muscles in the warm water.

A loud knock interrupted her thoughts as she realized she would be late to Kings Cross if she did not hurry. Taking in a deep breath and withstanding the horrendous pain, she stood up and got ready to face the world again.

_OOOOOOOOOO_

"Goodbye, Hermione," Mr. Granger said as he helped her take her trunk out of the car.

"Don't act like the nice guy you aren't," she hissed fiercely so that only he could hear. His eyes flashed as he slapped her on the face, making her tumble onto the floor.

A few feet away, two Slytherins watched this event, their surprised eyes watching the girl slowly pick herself up with the help of her chest. They saw her say parting words and wipe the line of blood that trailed down her mouth.

Feeling someone watching her, she turned to their direction, only to see the usual business of a train station. Thinking nothing of it, she limped toward the barrier that would lead her to her last year of school.

As she finally made her way through the wall, she watched all the happy families saying their farewells, envying them enormously.

She had that kind of family once. That was, until the accident. Looking down at the floor, she wheeled her trunk and Crookshanks to the train where a conductor took them. While she leaned slightly against the train she watched everyone, exhausted from the aching that burned in her legs and the physical strain she put herself through.

"Hermione!" a feminine voice yelled among the throng of people. Focusing on where the voice was coming from, she watched a red head girl make her way towards her. Smiling, which turned out to be more of a smirk since the side that was slapped was hurting immensely, Hermione watched the rest of the clan along with Harry walk toward her. They surrounded her in a huge hug to which she shuddered and winced in pain. However, no one noticed it except for two people who continued to watch her while conversing in low tones.

"Are you okay? Why's the side of your face pink?" Ginny asked as they backed away, giving them space to talk.

"I tripped is all. You know me, I'm so clumsy sometimes," she lied, her voice scratchy. Hermione had noticed Ginny looking at her and begged through her eyes. _Please see that I need your help. Please._

As Ginny tilted her head to the side, she came to the conclusion that it was Hermione, and she would never lie to them, so she shrugged it off. Hermione looked toward the boys only to feel even worse because they couldn't catch her silent but desperate plea.

"We missed you, Mione!" Harry exclaimed, going in for another hug. _Not another!_ She inwardly groaned as she knew she felt her bones strain under the pressure.

"I missed you guys too. I'm hoping you got my letter?" She asked, searching their faces to see whether they understood her secret message in the letter.

"Of course, we have all your books and here is your key," Ron held it out. Hermione inwardly sighed, knowing the answer was no. _I'm sure they were just too busy._

"Thanks Ron," She half smiled again.

"Kids, the train's about to leave, better head in!" Mrs. Weasley shooed them in. Everyone waved goodbye as the train began its journey to Hogwarts.

Hermione silently followed Harry and Ron, noting all the changes over the summer. Ron stood at about 6'2, if her estimation skills were correct. His fiery red hair still lay long; his eyes a cerulean blue. She also noted the slight build of muscles as they walked down the corridor. Still the same old Ron, just with muscles and height.

She turned her attention to Harry next, but was interrupted as she felt her head start to get dizzy.

Harry glanced behind and smiled, completely ignoring the fact that she had stopped walking. She winced as she took another step pretending everything was fine.

As she continued to slowly make her way, she finished her observation, concluding that Harry's hair was even more unruly in a good way, his eyes the same deep forest green, and his muscles along with his new height gave him a good figure. Honestly she couldn't see how every girl thought he and Ron were hot. They were the same boys she knew in first year.

Finally being unable to bear anymore pain, she softly said, "You guys go on; I have to go to the Head compartment." Seeing no response, she looked up and saw that they had already gone. Her heart plummeted before she fell to the ground, pain and fatigue claiming her.

She winced at the anticipated drop on the hard carpeted floor, but found that the ground did not come. Instead, a pair of strong hands held her up, and she quietly thanked the gods for this as she let her shoulders drop and her body relax into the hands of her savior.

She looked into the face that saved her from further injury ignoring the dizzy spell that came over her. Hey eyes stared in surprise to see shocking grey blue orbs staring back, sympathy mirroring in his eyes as she failed to notice another pair of eyes mirroring that same feeling. "Thank-" She succumbed to the dark once again, her head tilting to the side.

_End of chapter 2_

A/N: For those who are like me and can't remember the difference between empathy and sympathy… Empathy means understanding someone's feelings and sympathy means making another person's feelings your own.


	3. Chapter 3

Previously on Faith:

Her heart instantly broke as she fell to the ground, pain and fatigue claiming her. Wincing at the anticipated drop on the not so soft floor, she found that the ground did not come. Instead, two pairs of strong hands held her up, and she quietly thanked the gods for this as she let her shoulders drop and her body relaxed into the hands of her saviors. She looked into the faces that saved her from further injury ignoring the dizzy spell that came over her, surprised at seeing shocking grey blue orbs and electric blue eyes staring back, pain mirroring in their eyes. "Thank-" She succumbed to the dark once again, her head tilting to the side.

_End of Chapter 2_

**Chapter 3**

The two Slytherins watched as the Hermione's friends deserted her when she so obviously needed them. Empathy reflected in their eyes as they watched her from the shadows, keeping an eye on her.

They had gone through such pain before. Fortunately, they had each other to get through all the beatings and all the betrayals, but she had no one. Not even the little Weasel could pick up any signs that screamed for help.

She was becoming weaker. The instant they saw her they both moved to catch her, the blond teen reaching her first. Seeing the now black and blue hand print on her face, he could only feel anger as his hatred for the man who harmed her increased. She stared at him surprised, and started to say something before fainting.

He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Those bloody Gryffindors. They wouldn't know a rabid animal even if it bit them in the arse!" he exclaimed, clearly agitated. How could they be so blind?

"We'll worry about that later, Draco. For now, we have to bring her to the Head compartment." The other teen, whose strong aristocratic features, dark brown hair and hazel eyes gave him a strong distinction among others, watched as Draco easily scooped her up in his arms as the two teens walked quietly to the compartment.

_OOOOOOOOOO_

Hermione instantly came back to consciousness as her leg muscle painfully contracted in a spasm. All the pain in her entire body was forgotten as her calf muscle contracted more. She clenched her teeth in pain as she tried to grab onto something to clench onto, obliviously grabbing onto two outstretched hands. She whimpered in pain as she felt her other leg muscle begin to contract right after the other one had finished.

In the background, she heard someone say, "Hang in there Hermione. We're here." It somehow soothed her a bit before the spasm hit its worst stage and she squeezed both hands and propelled her body upward in an effort to try and stop the never-ending pain.

Tears of pain were squeezed out as she softly screamed in pain. The excruciating contraction finally subsided, leaving tense throbbings in each leg. She whimpered as the pain from the rest of her body plagued her and she let go of the hands she held and huddled over, trying to stop the hurt her previous actions brought her.

"Help me," she whispered desperately as she drifted in and out of consciousness wishing someone could hear her. Fortunately, the two Slytherins heard her, their blackened hearts reaching out to her as Draco took her into his arms and Blaise started to massage the back of her legs.

Hearing her whimper from the pain that shot up her leg muscles, Draco soothed her while he whispered soft words into her ear. Hermione's breathing started to even out as she finally snapped back to reality. _He feels so warm. _She instinctively leaned into the person who held her so gently, treating her like she was a little child.

She felt the hand that had been massaging her leg muscles take her hand and she looked up to its owner. _Zabini?_ She looked at the person she was resting on. _Malfoy? _Confused and panicked, she shot out of Draco's arms, tripping on herself and squeezing her eyes tight before she hit the corner of the seat, only to find herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms again.

She sighed from being saved twice by these two, and with the help of Blaise's strong arms, righted herself before sitting on the seat. She leaned her throbbing head on the wall as she raised her eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" her scratchy voice interrupted the silence.

"We're helping you, obviously. Even though your so-called 'best friends' refuse to see what has happened to the 'perfect Granger,'" Hermione flinched at the name she had once held proudly, "We haven't. We know who you are and we feel it is in our power to protect those like us," Draco answered as Blaise sat down next to him, both gazing intently at her.

"'Like us'?" Her anger rose toward his accusation of being one of them made her feel as though she were being categorized into a special group. "What do you mean _like us_? I am not nor will I ever be like you. I am very gracious for your help but to say that I'm 'one of you' is going far beyond anything I have ever imagined you to say to _me_ of all people."

"You're misinterpreting what we are saying," Blaise answered while throwing a reproving look toward Draco, who looked slightly guilty before his face turned to its normal guarded expression. "What Draco meant is that we understand what you are going through. All three of us are in this together, whether you like it or not. We just want you to know that we- Draco and I- will be there for you now. You won't be alone anymore."

Hermione looked from Blaise to Draco and back to Blaise again. No anger or hatred passed through either of their eyes and she knew she was safe, for now.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked while rubbing her temples in an effort to calm her splitting headache.

"We overheard a conversation between our parents one night during the summer. I must say, we were thoroughly surprised and a bit outraged to find that _you _of all people were given for adoption to live as a Mudblood for most of your life."

Though the word held no more meaning in her life, she reflexively flinched. She was still the same person as before. To her, she realized, blood still meant nothing. Being treated as a muggle-born gave her a perspective into those who were oppressed and ridiculed for their blood.

Though she nodded in understanding, she politely warned him, "Please don't use that word. Muggle-borns have just as much of a right to be here as I do. If you refuse to cease using that term, then I want nothing to do with you."

Blaise shot Draco a look before he said anything he would later regret. Sinking back in his seat, Draco nodded in agreement. Blaise followed suit. She took in both their forms.

_They're still Slytherins, that doesn't change anything- at least not yet anyway. They can't know what's going on…but I want them to know…I want someone to know, but I can't tell them. Harry and Ron will come around, I know it._ _They'll find out the truth, I know they will._ Her mind tried to convince her.

"I'm not going through any pain. I'm fine really." She jutted her chin to show she was fine.

"Right, not in pain? What do you call that bloody handprint etched so _beautifully_ on the side of your face?" Draco exclaimed, his temper taking over. "We all know-"

"Draco," Blaise interrupted, giving him a stern look before turning to face Hermione's huddled figure. "You can lie all you want, Hermione, but we know different. We saw what happened outside with that man. We saw how much it hurt you physically to move even when you were hugged by Potter and Weasley. We saw how they deserted you when-" Hermione straightened up in her seat at a remarkable pace for someone in such a bad of a shape.

"Stop it!" she cried, interrupting Blaise. "That's not true! They didn't desert me! How dare you insult my friends! Get out!" She pointed toward the door, tears rolling down her pale face, her heart cleanching. She didn't want to believe what he said. It wasn't true!

"Granger-" Blaise started, his surprise making him forget to call her by her first name. The sound of her last name pained her as it brought the most recent memories of her life as a Granger.

"I SAID GET OUT!" she choked out through sobs though not as forceful.

"I have as much right to be in here as you do because I'm Head Boy, however, I'll grant you your wish," Draco whispered as he and Blaise stood up to leave.

"Get out!" she feebly replied as tears ran more freely down her cheeks. Before Draco went out the door he handed her a handkerchief with last words, "Everyone changes, Hermione. Everyone."

Hermione hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed as the compartment door slid close. She gripped large portions of her hair and squeezed it as fresh batches of tears began to encase her.

_OOOOOOOOOO_

"Now what?" Draco asked, hearing the brunette's anguished cries. Blaise sighed and slid down onto the floor.

"I don't know. I really don't. No one deserves this, not even her." Draco punched the wall without wincing at the sudden pain that shot up his hand.

"Damnit!" he yelled. Compartment doors opened with heads poking out to see the commotion. "Get back in your compartments!" he barked at them, hearing the snaps of all the doors closing.

A loud noise of laughter rang out of one of the compartments that had not opened. Curious as it had been the only one that had not opened during Draco's tantrum and it being one of the closer ones, Draco carefully looked inside to see Potter, Weasel, and about four girls who were at the time flipping their hair and batting their eyelashes at the two boys. Their hyena laughter made Draco wince. Being a somewhat nosy person, he bent down so they would not see him and placed an ear against the door.

"Draco, why are you eavesdropping? We have more-" Draco gave Blaise a stern look before signaling him to be quiet and come over. Confused, Blaise bent down next to the blonde and listened to the conversation through the door.

"Oh Harry, you're so funny!" They heard a girl exclaim.

"Why thank you. Why don't you come over here so we could-" Harry didn't need to finish the statement because everyone listening or taking part of the conversation knew exactly what he was referring to because a second later a soft moan was heard from the compartment. Draco and Blaise's face twisted in disgust. Thinking there was nothing important going on in there that they would want to hear, Draco started to move away, but Blaise stopped him.

"Hold on," Blaise whispered. "Listen."

"-to that girl you always hung out with?" another girl asked.

"Who are you talking about?" a deep voice belonging to Ron replied

"That girl with her nose in the books and always looks like a bomb blew up in her face?" At this the eavesdroppers glared at the door.

"Oh! You mean that guy- I mean, girl? I don't know. She's probably with a friend or maybe holing herself up studying for Merlin knows what. Anyway, why don't you lot come over on my lap? I'm sure it'll be worth your while."

As disgust and anger and hatred boiled within their veins, Draco kicked their door before walking across. The door slid opened to reveal a disheveled Weasley with his shirt buttons untied.

"What do you lot want?" Ron spat out.

"Why would we want something from you? Your family's too poor to give anything to anyone, not that anyone would want anything from your traitorous family," Draco replied, his eyes turning into ice.

"What did you say Mal-ferret?" Ron bellowed as his ears turned red.

"Really Weasel, could you think up of anything more original?"

"Obviously not, we'll be dead before he can think of anything half as witty as that," Blaise answered, smirking.

"Why you bloody-" Ron's fist clenched.

"Ron!"

"What?" Ron yelled at one of the girls in the compartment who had interrupted him.

"Forget them; come back inside where it's _much _more interesting." A hand from behind the red head snaked around his waist and grabbed his crotch teasingly. Draco and Blaise looked disgusted.

"Really Weasley, whoever would want to shag you and your pathetic cargo must really be desperate," Blaise looked Weasley up and down in even more disgust.

"Why you- _Rictusempra_!" a loud noise shot through the air as blue lights rocketed toward the two Slytherins.

"_Contego_!" they yelled simultaneously as a large force field appeared a second before Ron's spell came within even close vicinity and bounced off, hitting the unsuspecting red head square in the chest.

A loud yell and four screams were heard before Draco flicked his wand to close and lock the compartment door until the train arrived at the station.

He sat next to Blaise, lightly running a hand over his bruising knuckles. "Absolutely worthless, every last one of them," he muttered.

"That was more than one can stomach, even at our stature, don't you agree?"

Draco nodded. "They need to burn in hell. I can't wait to wipe that blood traitor's face off this planet once this war starts."

"Let me see your hand," Draco stubbornly held his hand to his chest in a protective manner. "Oh stop being a sissy Draco, I know how to heal you better than anyone here." Draco sighed and let Blaise examine the slightly bloody knuckles. "_Contusum_."

Instantly the swelling and aging color disappeared as well as the pain. Draco nodded in thanks before leaning against the wall.

They sat in silence until he broke the silence. "Can't she see that now that she's a pureblood, things change?"

"Yes, but Draco, don't forget that you've been nothing but a sodding arse to her the minute she stepped onto the train in first year."

"Well how was I supposed to know she was your-"

"I know, Draco, I know."

"Do you think she knows she'll be expected to join the Dark Side?"

Blaise ran a hand through his raven colored hair. "I don't know that one, mate. We're going to have to ask her when she's ready to talk. I don't know how much she knows." Draco leaned his head against the wall and draped his arm over his bent up knee.

"She's different this year, and I don't know whether it is a good or bad different. I have a feeling we're in for a different year." Blaise nodded in understanding.

They stood up and Draco put his ear to the door of the Head compartment to see if Hermione was awake. Hearing no noises he warily opened the door, his eyes focusing on the tattered sleeping girl. Blaise nodded toward him mentally telling him to meet later before walking down the hall of the train to find other Slytherins. Draco looked back at Hermione, making no noise as he walked gracefully toward her watching her face contort in pain.

Bending down, he lightly ran a hand over her cheek, emotions whirling in his eyes, something that rarely happened to a teen of his stature. "You'll be okay, Hermione, you'll be okay." He sat down on the opposite side, watching her before he too slipped into sleep.

_End of Chapter 3_

A/N: I know a lot of you might be confused as to what the hell Draco and Blaise were talking about, but have no fear, for it will be explained soon. Review if you'd like, but be lenient on flames.


	4. Chapter 4

Previously on Faith:

Draco looked back at Hermione, making no noise as he walked gracefully toward her watching her face contorted in what seemed to be pain.

Bending down, he lightly ran a hand over her cheek, emotions whirling in his eyes, something that rarely happened to a teen of his stature.

"You'll be okay, Hermione, you'll be okay."

_End of Chapter 3_

**Chapter 4**

Blaise Zabini walked down the corridor of the train after making small amiable, or as friendly as a Slytherin can be, talk with some Slytherins. After politely excusing himself, he left to go check up on the Draco and Hermione, hoping nothing big had happened since his departure.

Looking up at the hanging clock, he realized that in a few minutes time the train would reach its destination at Hogsmeade Station. The corridor was particularly empty with the occasional loud laughter from inside a compartment. Finally reaching the Head compartment, he slid the door open and looked at the two sleeping teenagers. He walked up to Draco and shook his shoulder until he woke up.

"Blaise? What is it?" Draco asked shielding his eyes from the sudden brightness.

"We'll be arriving soon. I suggest you change into your school robes now." Draco nodded and then glanced at the sleeping figure across from him.

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know, I just got here and decided to wake you up. She looks fine right now, but I'll have to wake her up soon."

"Her friends didn't look for her then, I gather," Draco replied keeping his sight on the huddled girl.

"I suppose not. Go get dressed, Draco. I'll wake her up now." Nodding, Draco closed the door with a snap. Blaise sighed watching the sleeping girl warily.

Would she get mad for waking her? Either way, she had to wake up. Sighing, he stood up and walked over to her then kneeled down.

"Hermione," he whispered. "Hermione, wake up." He softly touched her shoulder. In an instant she sat up fully awake as a flicker of fear passed through her eyes before it returned to their dull state. Seeing it was not her adoptive father, her tense posture relaxed somewhat as she looked at the dark haired Italian.

"What is it?" Hermione whispered her voice cracking a bit as she lifted a scarred fist to her eyes to rub away her sleepiness.

"We are about to arrive at Hogsmeade Station, so I suggest you change into your robes now," Blaise answered softly, a trait not many Slytherins harbored. Hermione nodded.

"Thank you for waking me." Blaise gave her a small smile and reached for her hand. Feeling the rough, bumpy scars, he kissed her palm and softly squeezed it before leaving.

Hermione watched the tall Slytherin stand and leave, softly closing the door behind him. She tilted her head slightly to the side, having received a stiff neck from sleeping oddly numerous times, and stared at the closed door before getting up and getting dressed.

"We are now arriving at Hogsmeade Station. Please exit through the nearest door, have a good year."

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

"Hermione! Hermione!" Hermione heard her name be called as she walked somewhat in a daze toward the "horseless" carriages, amazed at the sight of the now non-invisible thestrels.

The sound of someone calling her did not completely register as she continued to walk in her dream-like trance. Only when someone grabbed her did she wake up from her daze and started throwing a fit, flailing her arms around.

Whimpering, she looked into the eyes of her father only to see blue eyes not brown. Confused she looked at the rest of the face- Ron. He released her, shrugging off her odd reaction, before speaking.

"Where did you go Mione? We didn't see you the entire train ride!" Ron exclaimed as he and Harry walked along with her toward the carriages.

"I told you I was going to the Head compartment, but you must not have-"

"Harry! Ron!" a feminine voice interrupted Hermione. The two boys stopped walking just as they were bombarded by a horde of girls. Knitting her eyebrows at having been interrupted and then ignored by her two best friends, she looked even more hurt at the floor as she walked by herself to the carriages, hearing the loud amiable chatter behind her.

She found a vacancy and carefully lifted herself up, using the small bit of energy in her body and sat in the corner, with both her knees hugged to her chest as she felt tears roll after each other. _Just breathe Mione, and it won't hurt so much._

Concentrating on breathing in and out deeply, she closed herself off to the outside world, not hearing the carriage door open or the drop from added weight. Draco and Blaise watched the girl try to control her breathing secretly admiring her strength as they glared everyone away from their carriage. The ride to Hogwarts was silent with the exception of the occasional sniffling and hitched breaths from Hermione.

"How long have you been here?" Her voice was uneven and gave out as her body involuntarily hiccupped.

"The entire time. Hermione I'm sorry your bloody friends or whatever the hell they are now are being complete ignorant fools. They're-"

"They're not!" she protested. "They-they just needed to say hello to old friends, that's all. It is just the beginning of the school year, and I'm sure they were busy catching up with everyone-"

"Busy with everyone but you," Blaise specified. Hermione shook her head.

"No, no I'm sure they just wanted to get rid of having to talk to everyone else so that we could talk after without anyone interrupting us."

"Like those girls interrupted you when you were speaking with Potter and Weasley?"

"Yes- no. I mean no. They just got sidetracked, is all. Nothing to worry about- I'm plenty sure it's nothing to worry about," she replied, seeming as if she were trying to convince herself that rather than the two Slytherins.

The carriage jerked to a stop, and having been in not a very balanced position to prepare her for the sudden stop, Hermione flew forward onto the floor before anyone could react. She flinched and groaned loudly.

Even though he did not ask, Hermione knew what Draco wanted to say. "I'm fine, don't worry." She winced as she tried to move her knee, which had new scratches with a little blood running from it.

Draco and Blaise shared a look before Draco swept her into his arms, one arm under her knee, the other under her shoulder blades. "Malfoy, what are you doing!" she yelled. She hissed in pain as his arms pressed against a nasty whip lash across her shoulder blade. Her eyes softened as they filled with tears. "You're hurting me."

Draco's eyes widened and softly placed her on the floor of the entrance of the carriage, with her legs hanging outside. Sincere apology reflected in his eyes as she slightly nodded in understanding.

"Will you be able to walk up the stairs?" Blaise asked, interrupting their little moment.

"I believe so." Their strange behavior was confusing her more and more. Why were they being so nice to her? Why were they helping her? Why were they even _talking _to her?

_Because they notice_. Her subconscious answered.

_Preposterous! _She fought back before she thought anything else.

She slid down from the carriage with the help of Blaise and began her slow ascend up the stairs to her home for her final year.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

The Sorting passed by slowly for many, but Hermione didn't notice. She sat between Harry and Ginny, absently gazing at a pillar in the Great Hall, not listening at all to what was happening around her. A swift poke in the rib broke her reverie as she winced and looked at the direction of poking.

"Hermione!" Harry whispered. "Stand up! Dumbledore's just announced you're Head Girl!" Bracing herself, she put her hands on the table and slowly pushed herself up, no one but a few people noticing her subtle shaking.

"Congratulations to Miss Hermione Granger and Mister Draco Malfoy for receiving such a great honor." Everyone clapped, although somewhat unenthused. "Now, let us all enter this new year with bright and clear palates." She sat back down and looked at her plate, ignoring the talking amongst her.

"Mione? Her-mi-o-ne? HERMIONE!" she jumped in her seat, looking at the person that had called her. Sighing in relief, she knew that Ron was going to ask her about her summer.

"Yes Ron?" _He's going to ask 'How was your summer Mione?' and then they will talk to me about my secret message. Oh, I knew they were going to notice and talk to me eventually! They just wanted to free up their time so they could talk to me- their best, loyal friend since first year._

"Can I borrow your homework?" He asked while stuffing his face. Hermione's face immediately dropped from its rising happiness.

"I-I'm sorry?" She must have heard wrong.

"I said, 'Can I borrow your homework?' Honestly, for being made Head Girl and the smartest person here, you're pretty deaf, Hermione." She didn't know what to think. Her eyes stayed wide after hearing those words.

_No, I'm sure he'll realize what he's said and apologize_. She persuaded herself. After waiting for a minute, no such apology was given as her insides continued to sink lower and lower.

"Well? Can I?"

"Yeah, Hermione, we really need it," Harry added.

"We were too busy to do it over the summer, and you always do it first thing. Since you're our best friend and Head Girl we found it appropriate enough for you to let us borrow your homework. You understand." Hermione's eyebrows knitted together as she felt the familiar tingle of tears well up in her eyes. _No, I can't cry now, please! _

"Miss Granger?" a voice called as approaching footsteps grew louder. Happy for the disruption, she turned her wetting eyes toward her Head of House.

"Y-yes Professor?" she replied through subtle choked sobs.

"Please follow me, I need to bring you and the Head Boy to your new dormitory," Professor McGonagall replied, worry reflected in her eyes. Hermione nodded, getting out of her seat.

Before she stepped to leave, she felt someone roughly grab her arm. Frightened, she whirled around, another vision of her adoptive father's angered and drunken face taking place, but gone once she blinked. She looked at Harry who seemed not to notice her distress even as he stared straight into her eyes.

"Owl me your homework by ten tonight, okay?" Hermione looked at him before he let go of her arm and she turned to leave.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

"You like her, huh?" Blaise watched as Draco's face twisted and turned after the question had been asked. "Don't do that, mate, it's not very appealing."

"Oh sod off. Everything just seems so different. I mean, last year, we would be at each other's throats by now. This year, I don't know. Her being a pureblood definitely changes a lot of things, not that I'm shallow, but all the opened opportunities, you know?" Blaise nodded to show his understanding. "Besides, most of the girls here are too superficial. They only want us for our looks and titles. She's different. I'm sure you can plainly see why I've taken a fancy to her?"

"I do see. After all she is my long lost twin sister. I know you're my best mate, Draco, but I hope it goes without saying if you so much as harm a single hair on her head, you'll have me to answer to."

Draco sighed. "This is going to be hard. I mean, with us being Slytherins. She hates us!"

"Correction, while you were ridiculing her for being a mudblood, I had my fair share of _civil _conversations with her in the past. She holds conversations well, too bad those bloody Gryffindors brainwashed her into thinking that all Slytherins are evil. Took me a few tries to get her to talk to me without looking like she was about to _avada_ my arse. If you hadn't been such a hard arse to her-"

"Language, Mr. Zabini," Professor McGonagall interrupted as she walked up to the two waiting Slytherins followed by a silent Hermione. "You're not a Head, Mr. Zabini; go to your Common Room."

"Minerva," Professor Snape interrupted before Blaise could open his mouth. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini are close friends. I assure you no harm will be done if Mr. Zabini tagged along." As Snape made direct eye contact with her, Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at her fellow co-worker.

"Fine," she bit out and motioned for Hermione to follow her leaving the males behind. Hermione looking in front of her but not registering anything but movements followed closely behind without making any noise.

Snape raised his eye at Hermione and snorted at Minerva's actions before following behind the women.

"What was that about do you think?" Blaise whispered as they too followed behind their Head of House.

"Lover's quarrel," Draco replied not paying attention to what was being said but when he had realized both he and Blaise stopped, looked at each other, and shuddered before continuing on.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

After what seemed to be fifteen minutes of walking down endless hallways and up several staircases, the group ended in front of a painting of the Greek goddess Athena and the god Ares. "Your password is- Mr. Zabini could you please close your ears and turn the other way?" Narrowing his eyes he opened his mouth to speak.

"Oh honestly, Minerva! He's not going to tell the whole word the password." Snape yet again interrupted gaining raised eyebrows from those that were listening.

"Severus, as Head of House I expect you to know and understand the safety of our students and-"

"Their welfare." he waved his hand in front. "Mr. Zabini will you please?" Rolling his eyes the Italian boy turned around while covering his ears. "Your password is to be" he turned to face the painting, "'Rainbows.' Don't ask me why because Professor Dumbledore decided it." Following the two Head of Houses, Hermione walked in somewhat focusing on where she was and Draco grabbed Blaise's shoulder and turned him around before following her in.

The common room had two large couches in front of a V shaped glass topped coffee table and faced the marble and brick tiled fireplace forming a semi-circle. A two person kitchen was placed off to the side while two large mahogany study tables lined the other wall. A shelf on the wall next to the entrance had a limited number of books.

"Now your rooms are through these opposite hallways along with your separate bathrooms. If you need anything else, feel free to owl Professor Snape and me. Have a good night."

The two professors turned and left with Snape whispering, "My, doesn't _someone_ have a stick up their arse?" before closing the door.

"I'm telling you mate, they're lovers alright," Draco commented as he moved toward the hallway that had a snake engraved into the side of the wall. "I'm going to check out this room, I'll be back!" He glanced at Hermione's still form looking down at the carpet, her eyes seeming completely void of any life. He made eye contact with Blaise who nodded to him.

"So Hermione…" he heard Blaise begin as he walked down the hallway.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

"How are you feeling?" Blaise put his hand down lightly, almost not touching her shoulder. "Hermione?" He waved his fingers in front of her face gaining a response.

"Oh, yes? What is it?"

"I asked, 'how are you feeling?' Here, I'll walk you down your hallway." She was silent for a little while following him toward her hallway.

"I'm perfectly okay." She offered him a weak grin as they stopped n front of her door.

Opening it, the room revealed a queen sized bed with four posts. The head board had an elaborate design which matched the pattern of the dark red comforter. As she walked in, she pulled the knobs on the large mirror exposing a spacey closet with all her clothes already hanging.

A dresser on the other side of the room touched another work desk of which held her school bag. Then she opened the second door opposite the side of the bed which turned out to be the door to her bathroom.

Across from the door was another which she assumed led to Draco's bathroom. A bathtub placed next to a shower was decorated with many gold faucets and labels as well as the shower. A wall to wall mirror lined the other wall along with a sink and plenty of space for necessities.

"Better than home?" Blaise asked walking behind her.

An image of her father towering over her popped into Hermione's view before disappearing again. "Much better," she whispered looking down and when she faced him her eyes were vacant once again looking beaten and sad.

_End of Chapter 4_

A/N: Wow, I'm really sorry about how long I've postponed this one and all my others. I'm trying to get through school and all the events going on in my life at the moment, so I hope you all won't hold that against me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Is the time of this fanfiction going too slow? Because I had a problem with it going too fast so I'm trying to make things go slower. Eh, well if anyone reads these then please give me your input, they'll be greatly appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Previously on Faith:

Then she opened the second door opposite the side of the bed which turned out to be the door to her bathroom. Across from the door was another which she assumed led to Draco's bathroom. A bathtub placed next to a shower was decorated with many gold faucets and labels as well as the shower. A wall to wall mirror lined the other wall along with a sink and plenty of space for necessities.

"Better than home?" Blaise asked, walking behind her.

An image of her father towering over her popped into Hermione's view before disappearing again. "Much better," she whispered looking down and when she faced him her eyes were vacant once again, looking beaten and sad.

_End of Chapter 4_

**Chapter 5**

"How is she?" Draco asked as he put a stopper in a potion vial. He put it inside a pouch and tied it to his patiently waiting eagle owl. Whispering its destination to the messenger, it hooted and took flight. Draco closed the window and went to sit next to Blaise on the couch.

"She's worse than we originally thought. Seems like she's dead to the whole world. I don't know how much longer I can take before I crack and tell her everything." Blaise replied absently watching the dancing flames in the fireplace cackle and spit.

"Don't blame yourself. None of us could have been able to predict what would have happened. Your parents did what they thought was right." Blaise looked toward his best friend noting the carefully hidden hints of worry - eyes focused on the fire and lips pressed into a thin line.

Blaise sighed. "I don't know. I just-" he sighed and leaned his head against the back of the couch, "If only you were there. It's like someone took over her body. I don't… I don't know how to explain it." His head dropped into his hands. "I can't wait to just tell her everything. That we didn't abandon her."

_OOOO_

Hermione stared silently at the ceiling as she lay on her bed. Her fingers drummed a random tune on the somewhat soft flesh of her stomach. As the thoughts raced through her mind of past years - the happy years - she didn't feel the tickling inside her nose as intruding tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

_No one's here to see them anyway._ With a soft sigh she blinked and the tears rolled down only to disappear into her inner ear. She was far away from Mr. Granger and for that she was thankful. Her eye twitched and her eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

How was this possible? How could eavesdropping on one, just _one_, conversation between the teachers turn out so horribly? She sniffled as her hands rested from its thumping. _I wish I never found out._

_You're lying_. Another voice argued softly inside her head.

_If I hadn't found out-_

_You would have gone your whole life not knowing._

_You lie! They would have told me!_ Her expression looked hopeful at the dark colored ceiling. _Mum said so!_

_But after seventeen years of your life thinking you were _their _child? You're the brightest witch at Hogwarts. Surely they would have deemed it appropriate to tell you that you were not their child. Especially after starting a life in the wizarding world. _

She heaved a sigh. _I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. I'm talking to myself again. _

_So? That's all that's left for you to do if you have no one to talk to. Everyone does it, _the second voice reassured her. That was true. Throughout the summer, she found she was having more conversations inside her head than with anyone else. It gave her a sense of security.

Hermione frowned. _Harry and Ron ignored me all day today. Malfoy and Zabini are acting completely out of character. It's as if they all switched bodies or something._

_Are you sure about that? Are you sure Harry and Ron weren't always like that- asking for your homework to copy off of?What if the whole Gryffindor and Slytherin rivalry blinded you from seeing the real Draco and Blaise? Answer that._

_I don't know, alright? Maybe you're right, maybe I'm right. Who knows?_

_You do._

_What? What is that supposed to mean?_

_It means what you want it to mean. I'm just telling you-_

A furious tapping from the window pulled her out of her thoughts. _Hedwig?_ Realization dawned on her as she carefully made her way toward the window. _Oh calm down, it's just Ron and Harry. They were just kidding about borrowing my homework. It's probably just a note asking to hang out at the Gryffindor Common Room._

_Are you sure about that? They didn't even notice how battered and weak you were! _The second voice came back.

_Yes I'm sure! _She rolled her eyes as she opened the window to let the snowy owl in.

_Alright, but don't get your hopes up. _With that final warning, Hermione focused on the owl perched on the windowsill.

"Hi, Hedwig. Message from Harry?" The owl hooted in reply and stuck its leg out where a note laid waiting for her. "Thanks." She gave Hedwig an owl treat from the pocket of her school robes and smiled. A flutter of wings and the snowy owl disappeared from the room. Slightly limping, she walked towards the bed and sat down.

_Dear Hermione,_

_It's just about ten and we haven't received any parchment from you for our homework. Are you alright? I mean, normally when we ask you, you usually yell at Ron and then give me the homework to use, but this time you didn't say anything. We assumed that was an automatic yes. Where is it? Come on, Hermione. Don't be so selfish!_ Hermione's eyes widened._ We know you're going to give it to us eventually. Are you just really slow today or what?_

_Harry_

Her hands began to shake and her eyes were reduced to slits as she glared at the paper. _Don't say it._ She warned the second voice, knowing it wanted its 'I told you so' rights. Tears of anger or shock, she didn't know which, began to spill down her cheeks.

Crumpling the parchment in her hand, soft but distinct taps on the window stopped her from throwing the ball of parchment. _Why would Hedwig come back?_ A moment passed as she understood. _Oh, so they want my homework, is that it?_ She thought viciously as her shaking arms pushed her throbbing body off the bed. Groaning, she pushed aside the curtains to let in an unfamiliar eagle owl.

Looking confused, she slightly winced as she tilted her head. "Are you sure you have the right person?"

The owl hooted happily and stuck its leg out. Looking at the velvet pouch strapped to its leg. It hooted again seeing her confused expression. Sighing she untied the pouch and patted its head before feeding it a treat. It nipped affectionately at her shaking finger and took flight. Untying and widening the opening of the pouch, she dumped its contents onto her bed. She picked up a folded piece of paper.

_For your injuries. Use it well._ She tried pinpointing whether she knew whose handwriting it belonged to. It was too neat and aristocratic to be Ron's or Harry's. Snape would not have sent her something like this simply because he _despised _her and had no inkling as to what had occurred over summer break. So who could it be?

_Oh well. _She placed the note on the bed and pulled the stopped out of the vial. Lifting it to her nose she smelled it. _Right scent. _Turning the bottle she assessed its physical appearance based on her knowledge on healing potions. _Right texture. Color is correct. _She looked unbelievably at the bottle. Should she drink it? She shivered as her eyes blanked and a memory resurfaced.

"_It's funny," her adoptive father's gruff voice came out deep. He straightened the whip in his hand and flicked it into the air landing it right on its target. He grinned hungrily at her cry and raised it again, bringing it down with more force. He held the tails of the whips and snapped it straight. "The people at the store I bought it from thought I was going to use it for sexual pleasure." He sneered while he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head forcefully backwards. Hermione hissed in pain. "You want to know something, you bleedin' slut?" he whispered in her ear, "This brings me pleasure."_ The ringing of a loud snap ended her memory.

She winced at how real it sounded and looked at the potion in her hand. _Bottom's up. _She tilted her head and drank a healthy gulp of it. Squeezing her eyes together she anticipated any oncoming affects of poison. Silence.

_It's not poison. _She looked at her arms as any scabbed areas faded into scars and the pain in her body vanished. She slowly got up from her bed, wanting to test whether her body parts would fall off or anything of the sort.

Nothing strange happened.

She picked up the note knitting her eyebrows together. Who would send such a strong potion to help _her,_ of all people, out? She shrugged as a slight feeling of relief washed over her that no pain accompanied that action. Deciding to shower off, she walked into the bathroom.

Maybe she could 'accidentally' drown herself? _No,_ her mother's voice entered her mind. Her breath quickened. _Be strong, Hermione. I know you can do it._

_Mum? Momma?_ Silence answered her back.

She let out a wail as her heart clenched painfully at her mother's voice. It was just a figment of her imagination or it was her brain's way of fooling herself. She wanted to hear the voice again. Shaking her head in a vain attempt to clear it, she headed to her bathroom.

Halfway through her shower, continuous pecking on the shower door jerked Hermione out of her thoughts. _What the hell?_ She turned the shower off and grabbed the towel that hung on the other side of the door. As she stepped out with the towel wrapped securely around her body, her breathing hitched as the energetic minute owl flew around her head.

"Pig, what are you doing here? In my bathroom of all places?" Her eyes scanned the excited bird and landed on the parchment tied to its legs. "Oh, come here you pesky bird! Calm down!" She flung her hands out to catch the bird successfully in her grasp.

She untied the note from its leg and watched it fly into her bedroom. Following it, she sat on the bed, fully aware that she was dripping wet. "How did you get in?" She looked at the open window realizing she hadn't closed it when the second owl left. Sighing, she opened the letter.

_Hermione,_

_Come on! It's already midnight and we're STILL waiting for your homework! What's up anyway? Oh, you're probably just trying to 'punish' us for not doing it, right? Stop being a kid. The joke's over, Hermione! Now, be a best friend and send it over with Pig._

_Ron_

She felt her stomach drop. How could they be so cruel? Had they always been so unrelenting, so hateful? Sure, she knew much of their hatred was directed toward the Slytherins, mostly Malfoy, but never toward her. No, never. She was their best friend, the last third of the Golden Trio, the girl they saved six years ago from a troll. She didn't know how to respond. She couldn't.

Her hands began to shake and she felt as though her lungs had closed up. Her heart felt like an empty abyss waiting to encompass her in its sorrowful misery. _Hoot!_ She glanced at the ever ecstatic Pig, flying around as he waited for her response letter to his master. She caught him by the wings and pulled him down, "Go back to your master. There is no response." A happy hoot from the minute owl, and it took off.

She watched the miniature owl fly away until its body was encased in darkness. Closing the windows, she plopped onto the floor where she had dropped the letter. Each time she read it over, she felt as though a piece of her died away, a strike to her already damaged soul. She felt nothing but sadness, a deep longing for something, anything to rid her of the lonely pain she was feeling.

She wanted to hit herself, inflict pain, anything to rid her of the deep throated sorrow wedged so finely in her body. She climbed onto her bed, slowly stripping off her clothes to sleep in her underwear for she was too tired, her body was physically exhausted. She lay looking toward the high ceiling, her fingers tracing her arm in an invisible design visualizing lines of red, blood red.

Tears of frustration and self-pity threatened to spill from her chocolate eyes. Flashes of Mr. Granger towering over her obscured her vision. Visions of the speckles of blood and tears staining her bedroom floor created a newfound feeling in her stomach-something she couldn't describe.

It was building up- all the memories, all the unbridled fury. Snippets of past conversations swam through her mind, circling around her thoughts and never ceasing its momentum. 'Peek-a-boo!... Oh, is the little whiney girl going to CRY?... We were too lazy, so we decided to ask you!... Let good 'ol DADDY help you there…WE TOOK YOU IN EVEN WHEN THEY DIDN'T WANT YOU!... Can I borrow your homework, Hermione?... You're a MISTAKE!... Hey Hermione! Pay attention!... Come on! You're our BEST friend!...Honey, I'm s-'

And it was then that the world came crashing down on her and she truly felt the absence of love and comfort from her parents and her two best friends, the only people who she thought she could always count on.

She was truly alone.

_End of Chapter 5_

A/N: So, I know I've left this story and all my others out to dry. I completely apologize for that. I had several different versions for chapter five and I have gone back and forth deciding whether or not I should fix this story as a whole and make this a completely Draco and Hermione story. I'm still going back and forth but any feedback is more than welcome. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello everyone! So, hopefully those of you who were fans of this story long ago read my author's note about how I will be changing certain aspects of my story. To save you the trouble of going through the story and trying to find the differences, I'll update you here:

Hermione does not know who her real family is, her message to Harry/Ron during the summer has changed, Draco and Blaise are NOT lovers just best friends, there is no random female voice or "stages" Hermione will have to still go through. The voice is actually her mother's. Basically the whole plot has changed, but much of the story is still in tact.

Originally I had plans to bring some Greek mythology into the story, but I decided I did not want that and the review I received persuaded me to change my path. I also did some minor editing in all the chapters. I was fifteen when I began this story so I thought I'd tweak it a bit. I think that's all for the differences... ENJOY!

Previously on Faith:

'Peek-a-boo!... Oh, is the little whiney girl going to CRY?... We were too lazy, so we decided to ask you!... Let good 'ol DADDY help you there…We took you in when they didn't want you!... Can I borrow your homework, Hermione?... You're a _mistake_!... Hey Hermione! Pay attention!... Come on! You're our BEST friend!...Honey, I'm s-'

And it was then that the world came crashing down on her and she truly felt the absence of love and comfort from her parents and her two best friends, the only people who she thought she could always count on.

She was truly alone.

_End of Chapter 5_

**Chapter 6**

She was always the top of the class. She prided herself on being the best despite whatever others deemed as a setback, aka her blood. She was fiercely loyal and protective of her friends. She had the best family. She had loving parents who worked hard to give her a comfortable life free of worry and stress. She made friends with any and all people willing to befriend her. She was known by many, if not all, in the Wizarding world for her friendship to the famous Harry Potter. She was a Gryffindor through and through; always confident in her ways, brave and proud 'til the bitter end.

At least that's who she was.

The next morning, Hermione woke up, her head feeling just as muddled as it was the night before. There was a dull pain in the back of her head and no matter how many ways she tried to relieve the stress of it, the constant pain remained.

She went through the motions of getting ready for class, her hands absently tying her gold and scarlet colored tie. She threw a wistful glance at the window remembering just how easy it would be just to end it all. The memory of her mother's voice came, but she shook her head to get rid of it.

She felt a fog encase her mind as she headed down the hallway to the common room.

Upon seeing her, Draco stood up from his place on the couch. She barely acknowledged him. "Ready to go?" She turned her empty eyes on him. Apparently he had been waiting for her. Her eyes flickered around the room, but she did not see his partner in crime. "Blaise is already in the Great Hall. He'll meet us-"

"Stop." Her soft voice, barely above a whisper, interrupted him. She lifted her eyes to face him. "Leave me alone. I don't know what you want, but I don't want your help." Surprised, Draco began to speak. She held up her hand to stop him, her voice strained. "I said leave me alone, Malfoy."

She slid by him, ignoring his calls. She didn't hear him. Didn't hear anything but her mother's dying voice and her father's enraged roars.

As Hermione entered the Great Hall, she felt as though every eye focused on her. Her heart quickened as she looked down to make her way to the table. She glanced up and saw Harry and Ron looking at her, but she chose to sit as far away from them as possible.

The second years she sat next to glanced at her in confusion but shrugged it off as nothing before returning to their conversations. She could feel the heat of multiple gazes on her. Her face began to flush and her palms began to sweat. Gulping, she hunched in her seat as though making herself feel smaller would cease the staring.

She heard the second years scoot away from her. Hermione gripped her goblet as two pairs of legs and familiar scents came into her periphery.

"Hermione." She winced at Harry's condemning voice, but did not lift her head.

She wanted to believe they were going to apologize to her. She wanted to believe they came to their senses, but the sinking feeling in her stomach won over the false sense of hope.

"Where were you last night? We sent you owls but Hedwig and Pig came back without a response. What is wrong with you? Did you know we had to spend all night doing our homework? We didn't get to sleep until at least five in the morning! Hermione, you're being so selfish! Hermione? Hermione!"

A rough hand grabbed her shoulder. She jumped at his touch, falling backwards onto the floor. Everything in her bag scattered haphazardly onto the floor. Ron, the owner of the hand, glanced at her, surprise and annoyance on his face.

Harry glanced up at the head table where the faculty was currently watching the scene in front of them. They did not move thinking it was just a regular everyday accident. It was the Golden Trio. Nothing seriously bad ever happened between them.

She kept her gaze on the floor as she rushed to pick up her belongings.

"Hermione! What is wrong with you?" Harry hissed, his voice wobbling from his attempt at controlling his anger. "Stop making a scene!" He grabbed at her arm which was still hurriedly shoving everything in her bag. She yelped at the grip he had on her arm. The pain potion had started to wear off.

"Potter, let her go," a deep voice stopped them as well as many of the students around the scene.

"Malfoy this has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business, ferret," Ron snapped from his seat as he moved to yank Hermione back onto the bench. She cowered away from him, but he did not notice.

"She's the Head Girl. She is my business. Or have you forgotten that I'm Head Boy? It wouldn't surprise me if you did. You never did have much of an intellectual ability considering the small pea brain in that thick head of yours," Draco drawled, his eyes glistening with authority. Ron jumped out of his seat as his face colored to a spectacular shade of red. Harry stood up next to him in an attempt to be intimidating. Draco regarded them coolly, a pale eyebrow rising.

"I assure you your scare tactic is enough to make a five year old girl giggle." Enraged, Ron punched him straight in the face. Harry pulled him back from continuing his assault.

Draco stumbled backward a few steps as his fellow Slytherins ran to aid him. When Blaise moved to retaliate, Draco held his hand out to stop him and the others from continuing. He could practically feel the Slytherin's anger mounting.

"No, don't." He gingerly touched his jaw and moved it around a bit before glancing at the two Gryffindors. Hermione, shocked at the twist of events, huddled near the Gryffindor dining bench. "I would've thought you would hit harder than that, Weasel. You hit worse than a third year Granger!" At this claim, the Slytherins and some other students managed to chuckle. Ron seethed in fury, now held firmly by Harry and Seamus who was sitting near the scene.

Glancing up at the faculty table, Draco saw the faculty's rigid forms as though transfixed at the scene in front of them. Dumbledore, however, cleared his throat as his stood up. Draco watched in satisfaction as the two boys gulped at the sound and slowly turned to face the Headmaster.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley I do not condone fighting in my school as you well know. You have disregarded the Head Boy's request and have not only ignored it, but also physically attacked him. These are dark times and I will not have my students fighting under the roof of this school for any reason. Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention tonight after dinner. I expected better from you both." At Dumbledore's disappointed stare, the boys looked down ashamedly at their feet.

"Yes, Professor." Normally their two voices would not have been able to carry up to the faculty table but the room had silenced completely.

Draco smirked gleefully at the humiliation of the two Gryffindors in front of every student and teacher. Had he not been raised with the finest manners he would be dancing around reveling in their misery.

"Ten points from Slytherin," Dumbledore's voice burst his bubble. Shocked, Draco glanced up at the Headmaster completely appalled at the loss of points. "While your intentions were good, Mr. Malfoy, baiting Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley verbally is hardly the way to go."

Draco glared at the old man standing at the faculty table wanting to hex the brains out of him, but he knew better than that. He schooled his face back to its stony exterior and nodded in acceptance before leaving with his housemates who were still behind him.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to the rest of the school, the twinkling in his eyes returning. "I believe classes will be starting soon. I advise you finish up your meals and start heading out if you do not want to be late. Pip, pip!"

As Dumbledore returned to his seat, it was as if a silence spell had been taken off the student body. Noise erupted as conversations before the incident carried on. Some conversations discussed what had just happened.

Hermione looked miserably at the floor, her face warming quickly as she felt a multitude of gazes coming from all different areas around her. Unable to handle it, she grabbed her bag and ran out the hall ignoring the calls of her two best friends.

_OOOO_

Classes went by in a blur for her. For the first time in all her schooling, Hermione did not find herself participating in her classes much less paying attention to any of her teachers.

Part of her wanted so badly just to return to the way everything was before she found out, but all she could think of was how badly she just wanted to sleep. Sleep and never wake up. She wanted her mother.

After some thinking, she knew she would always refer to her adoptive mother as though she were her biological mother. She loved her mother who raised her and loved her. It was in these thoughts Hermione found herself wallowing in her guilt.

Maybe she did deserve all those summer nights filled with pain and brokenness. Maybe she did deserve to be punished. She felt empty and her heart had pained to the point where it numbed.

She knew Harry and Ron were mad at her, could feel their malicious glares on her back. Neville and some of the other Gryffindors had asked her if she was alright, but she only managed to give them a nod and a weak smile.

When they tried to delve deeper, she whispered a minimal amount of words to get them off her back. Many had sided with Ron and Harry and glared at her or just plain out ignored her.

It was on her way back to her common room during dinnertime that she heard an interesting conversation about her. It seemed as though Draco and Pansy were coming from the Head common room and on their way to the Great Hall. They were coming toward her, so she ran and hid in another hallway until they disappeared.

"…doing, Draco? Standing up for the Know-It-All." She heard Pansy's familiar lilting voice question the blond Slytherin.

"I have my reasons, Pansy. Just trust me."

"Trust you? She's a Gryffindor, Draco! Your parents-"

"My parents know. They were the ones who told me to watch over her."

"What?" Pansy's voice rose in surprise. Draco shushed her.

"Pansy! Must you be so loud? I thought your mother taught you not to raise your voice like that? It's completely unladylike."

"Oh quiet you!" Hermione heard Pansy playfully shove at Draco. "Don't go all 'pureblood this' and 'pureblood that' on me. I know perfectly well what is expected of me as a pureblood female. You're my best friend and we're alone. Why should I feel the need to pretty myself up for you?"

"Ouch. You wound me!" Again, another shove.

"Oh, honestly! Sometimes I wonder how I was able to put up with you and Blaise since we were babies. I'm surprised I didn't just strangle you for stealing my toys all the time!"

"Ah, but you did give me that right nasty hit on the head that one time I stole your lollipop!" She heard Draco tease the dark haired girl.

"That is beside the point! Stop making me get off topic, Draco! Why would your parents order you to take care of _her_? She's a muggle-born, for Merlin's sake! I would have thought your parents would want you to continue in your horribly elementary way of tormenting her."

"'Horribly elementary way of tormenting her?' Merlin! You're awfully catty today aren't you, Pans?"

She heard them stop walking. Her heart quickened thinking they knew she was eavesdropping. Then she heard him laugh, a genuine sound she had never heard coming from Draco Malfoy's mouth. She had to admit it sounded good.

"It's your _womanly_ time isn't it?" Hermione's mouth dropped in surprise. She was sure she could imagine Pansy's own mouth open in surprise.

"You-you! Draco Malfoy! Stop poking me! I'll have you know it is _none_ _of your business_ whether it is my _womanly_ time! Stop changing the subject!" Pansy breathed out in exasperation. There was a moment of silence.

"She's not who we thought her to be, Pans." Draco's voice had lost the good natured giddiness it had moments before. Their footsteps continued to fade away as they continued down the hall. "She's Blaise's…" Hermione couldn't hear the rest as they had passed the point of successful eavesdropping.

_I'm Blaise's what? What is going on?_ She began to panic thinking of all different situations, each as horrible as the last. What was going on?

She glanced down the hall and bounded toward the front doors of Hogwarts, away from her original destination. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She needed air.

_OOOO_

Hermione glanced at the bell tower. Ten o'clock. She had been sitting by herself staring into the Great Lake's dark abyss for three hours.

It was bitterly cold out by the lake and she could feel the little sprinkles of water droplets as the underwater creatures splashed in and out of the water, completely oblivious to the dark torrent of thoughts surrounding their surveyor. She didn't mind the cold. Really, after staying out so long and feeling so out of her body, she welcomed the cold. It numbed her more.

She had cried bitter tears. Bitter, pitiful tears. She wanted her mother back. She wanted the father she knew before the accident. She wanted Harry and Ron to notice. She wanted them, with all her heart, to pull her out of her sadness. She wanted Draco and Blaise to leave her alone. They were only creating more problems, more questions she couldn't seem to find answers to.

She curled up, her knees pulled to her chest as she stared out into the dark lake. She wanted to lash out, scream, anything to rid her of the horrible pit of emptiness and self-blame she found herself in. But she couldn't.

Taking in a deep breath, Hermione finally stood up. She needed her answers.

By the time she reached her common room portrait, she felt the harsh sting on her skin as the heat from the building attempted to seep through her ice cold skin. The cold had numbed the dull pain of her bruises and now healing injuries. The potion, whoever sent it, had helped enormously.

Once she gained access to the common room, she entered upon seeing the two people she was hoping to run into. Draco and Blaise, hearing the door open, immediately shot up from their seats.

"Granger! Where the hell have you been?" Draco asked in a barely controlled voice. Hermione froze in her steps, surprised they had been waiting for her apparently worried. She opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted.

"Do you know what time it is? It's almost ten-thirty! You've been missing since classes got out!" Blaise scolded, his eyes reflecting the worry he felt.

She stepped back, her heart beating a mile a minute. Her eyes widened as she felt the familiar rushing of blood in her ears. Her face heated up in her panic. Seeing her reaction, Blaise's eyes widened.

"No, no! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Calm down. Breathe. We were just worried. You weren't at dinner and neither of us had seen you since classes got out. You weren't in the library or anywhere else we looked." Hearing the distress in Blaise's voice, she began to feel her tense body relax somewhat.

_Breathe Hermione, just take a deep breath. You can do it._ Her mind cajoled her. Hermione glanced at the two Slytherins in front of her.

"Why were you looking for me?" At their responding silence, she continued her questions. "Why are you trying to help _me_, a Gryffindor, the same girl you," here she glanced pointedly at Draco, "have endlessly tormented the second I stepped onto the Hogwarts Express first year? Why? It doesn't make sense. None of it does. You don't _know_ me. You don't know what I've been through. What gives you the right to wheedle yourselves into my life?" Her voice began to rise in her hysterics.

She needed her answers. She needed to know what they knew. She needed to know who she was and she knew they had the answers. She couldn't go to the faculty. She knew they would just dilute everything and possibly even keep some facts out. She knew the two boys in front of her would tell her. What did they have to lose?

After what felt like a long time, Blaise responded, albeit reluctantly, "Okay, just calm down, Hermione. Let's just sit down on the couches and you'll get your answers." She sat down on the armchair facing the large couch the two boys sat in. She gripped the arms unsure whether she was ready or not. She had to be prepared for the worst.

"There's no easy way to start this, but we know you are not the blood daughter of John and Anne Granger," Blaise held his hand up to stop Hermione from interrupting him. Draco sat back and watched the scene unfold. It was Blaise's story to tell.

"This past summer, Draco and I were called into a meeting with both our parents. With the surmounting tensions, it is a known fact that the Dark Lord will be ready to attack in the near future. My parents were supposed to remain neutral in the war. But they should have known that the Dark Lord would do anything at any cost to gain the prestige of the Zabini family on his side."

He took a deep breath. "It is unknown how exactly he found out. My parents believe he was able to reverse any memory charm placed on the healer in charge of my mother when in labor. When the memory charm was reversed, she was so weak from the onslaught of memories, he had free reign on her mind. The Dark Lord then found out information he used to blackmail my family with." At seeing how hard her brain seemed to be working trying to figure out how she was involved with this story, he offered Hermione an amused smile. She was always a thinker.

"You see, when I was born, my mother gave birth to another child after me." Understanding finally settled on her face, her breath shortened at the turn of events. She felt the beginnings of her body trembling. "I am a twin. My sister, whom I had no knowledge of until this summer, was given away in the muggle world in an attempt to protect her from the wrath of the Dark Lord.

Twins are unnatural in the wizarding world, especially to old families like the Malfoys and the Zabinis. Twins are thought to have a special power in addition to normal magic. My special power, for example, is the ability to read people's minds and manipulate them to my desire. It's an interesting power, but I digress.

While still neutral, the Zabini's have been known to associate with those of the dark side. They did not choose a side, but they had the loyalty of many of the old families who understood their decision. If the Dark Lord had known about my mother giving birth to twins, he would have taken them from my parents and trained them to be his followers, just as dark as he. He would have forced my parents to join his side.

Draco and my parents had no choice but to cast a memory charm on all who had witnessed my sister's birth and left the baby with a muggle family to escape the Dark Lord's power. Now that he knows, our parents thought it pertinent to tell us the truth after the Dark Lord threatened my parents with the life of my sister. He does not know who she is or where she is thanks to my parent's Occlumency.

However, now that he knows, they know that she will likely be in danger soon. The Dark Lord will use all assets to find my twin and make her one of his followers, just as Draco and I have been made. Draco's family has taken an oath to my family to protect the secret and my sister at all costs. Draco and I were given strict orders to protect my sister.

I'm sure you would understand our surprise when we were told that my sister was none other than you, Hermione Granger." By this point all blood had drained from Hermione's face.

Her eyes felt like they couldn't get any wider and her body wouldn't stop the tremors from the shock. She glanced at her hands now held out in front of her as though hoping to find some kind of answer or sign. They began to shake so badly she was forced to place them under her legs.

Now was the perfect time to faint just like in all those books and movies where the female character has been given utterly surprising news. She wanted so badly to faint because she had no idea what to say or what to think. Her mind was running over his words ten times over, processing his words at a snail's speed. Here, Draco stepped in.

"It's hard to take in, we understand. We know once you have taken it all in you will have questions for us. Earlier you told me you didn't want our help, but we have to help. I have to. I made an oath to Blaise's parents, to _your_ parents to protect you. They can't get you, not while the Dark Lord is still rising in power. We are all just as caged in our current lives as you are." To their surprise she laughed, a harsh remorseful sound erupting out of her silence. She sat straight up.

"Just as caged in your lives as I am? How do you know what I've been through? Tell me, do you know what it feels like to feel the stinging hot flash of pain as a leather strip tears mercilessly into your skin? To hear how worthless and selfishyou are just for breathing? To feel the constant stabbing in your heart every time he tells you how you _killed_ his wife? Do you know how horrifying it is living under the same roof as the shell of the man you once knew constantly beats you? To know you were the one who brought him to this? Do you?" She yelled as tears rolled down her face.

Blaise was silent, his fists clenched at her tears and the misery that was held in her voice. Draco, however, thought differently, his eyes flashing. He stood up in his anger, ignoring Blaise's motions to not say anything.

"I will have you know, _Hermione,_ your blood parents, your _family_ has suffered the receiving end of the Dark Lord's wand countless time for their refusal to give you up. Your family has been neutral in this war since the beginning and not only have they pledged themselves to the dark cause, but also put themselves in harm's way, subjecting themselves just so you can live free of the cruelty they now face every day. My family has gone behind the Dark Lord's back to promise the safety of the secret and you. Do you know what happens to a person if they are found going behind the Dark Lord's back? Do you?"

At her pitiful head shake, he continued with his voice low and cold, "Death in the cruelest form possible. The Dark Lord does not take these matters lightly. It does not matter whether they are from one of the old families. He will kill if he finds out. _My_ family has put their life on the line for you just as your own family, who has never had the chance to raise you, has done. Just think about that." With that, he swept up to his room, Blaise glaring at his back. He moved to comfort her shaking form.

"Don't, Blaise. I just- I just need to go." She stood up from her seat and quickly walked to her room.

After hearing the snap of her door closing, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. This was _not_ how he imagined this conversation to go. He lay on the couch unwilling to leave both his best friend and his sister when they needed him the most. He fell asleep to the silence of the Head common room.

_End of Chapter 6_

A/N: Well, how did you like it? Good, bad? I fully intend to finish this story as well as all my others since I hate leaving things unfinished. I sincerely apologize it took at least 2 years to actually update something. I have to admit I like where I'm going to take this story as opposed to what I planned to do 5 years ago when I first started it. As always feedback is welcome!

**I am in need of a Beta for my stories. If you would like to be one, let me know! **

Also, thank you _so _much for everyone who has read/reviewed this story. It is without your words I wouldn't find myself writing or taking it along the path it is now on. Thank you again!


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